| Re: [GMCnet] Scuderi Split Cycle Engine [message #166535 is a reply to message #166500] |
Mon, 16 April 2012 19:54   |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma:
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| Bob de Kruyff wrote on Mon, 16 April 2012 13:16 |
There's quite a story behind GM's effort. It was going to debut in the Monza (Vega based) and was tooled by Hydramatic. Ed Cole was the sponser and pretty well everyone else hated it. The day Ed retired, people were dispatched across the organization to fetch and scrap every engine and component they could find. A few miscellaneous parts such as rotors were hidden in desk drawers as momentos. The Monza was already in prototype form and had to quickly be retooled to accept regular powertrains. The center tunnel was very high in order to accept the central output of the Wankel. Also, the round motif was extended throught the vehicle styling to emphasize the Wankel. Things light headlights were converted to rectangular shapes. I would guess that GM probably spent over a billion on that effort--and yes, it was also going to go into the midengine aluminum Vette. Fitting the V-8 into the Monza proved disastrous due to lack of testing and the tight engine compartment.
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Bob,
I had heard that story as well. Was talking to one of the people I knew had been on the project, I made a short quip about how I might get to see one in a museum.... He replied that there were "no surviving examples". I believed him. That is until Eastern States last fall when we got the a day at the Automotive Heritage Museum in Ypsilanti (You remember Ypsi?). I was wondering and looking at the neat collection and there was a GM Wankle motor - Complete - Ready to install - I was GobSmacked.... I walked back to the Curator/Director/Owner and asked how he got that. He said he got a call from an interesting person at Hydramatic, there was some stuff that the would scrap and would he like to look at it before is was - Oh, and there is a crate. Don't open it while any company people are around. If you don't want it, find someone that does.
And there it sits.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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